Me and Mr. Write by Cassandra P Lewis Read Free Book Online Page A

he’s not offering enough money to convince them to open the gates. Everyone is laughing and teasing Steve and there is so much happiness in the air you can almost touch it.
    Once the gates are successfully negotiated, Steve’s family present gifts to Annie’s family, including banana and sugar plants as these traditionally represent fertility, and food is offered and laid out for dead ancestors.
    The next part of the wedding ceremony is conducted by a senior elder of Annie’s family; Steve and Annie wear traditional Thai clothing and kneel down. They ‘wai’ as white cord is used to link their heads together, this is meant to link together their destinies. Water is poured by the elder and then the guests from a conch shell over the hands of Steve and Annie with bowls of flowers underneath the hands to catch the water.
     
    After all of the tradition of the day, I am looking forward to the informal evening that Annie has planned. Instead of a formal dinner, the newlyweds have closed Presley’s to the public and we have a buffet of Thai food, an open bar and karaoke!
    “Fancy a dance then James” Sasha sits next to me at the bar. I’ve been watching Steve and Annie dancing while various members of their families sing songs dedicated to the newlyweds, I realise as she speaks that I have a stupid grin on my face,
    “Yeah ok Sash, why not”
    I walk to the dance floor with Sasha and Steve eyes me warily. I shake my head to let him know that I’m not going to do anything stupid as Sasha takes my hands and we start to dance to Kath’s rendition of ‘Club Tropicana.’
     
    I’m having a fantastic time! everyone is laughing and singing, the drinks are flowing and my best friend is the happiest that I have ever seen him. I can’t help but think about what my wedding to Rosie will be like and the thought excites me, I decide to go outside to try and call her.
    As I step outside of Presley’s I’m met by the sight of an extremely drunk Sasha throwing up into a plant pot,
    “Sash, Jesus. Come on, you need water” I take Sasha’s arm and start to lead her back to Presley’s when she stops me,
    “No Jackson, I just want to go to bed. Will you help me get home?”
    I look at her for a moment. I can’t let her go alone in this state but I’m not ready to leave the wedding and don’t think that Sasha and I should be alone together when we’ve both been drinking. I tell her to sit and head back inside to find Steve,
    “Mate, Sasha’s wasted. I’m gonna take her back and put her to bed. Is that ok?” I ask Steve as he watches his new wife dancing with his Dad,
    “Jackson, do you think that’s wise?” he looks me in the eyes, still concerned that I’m going to mess things up with Rosie,
    “Steve, she can hardly stand up. I can’t let her go alone. It’s fine, I’m not stupid” he shrugs his shoulders and hands me the keys to his house. I head back outside to Sasha and call a tuk tuk over.
     
    Back at the house I tell Sasha to go and get into bed and that I’ll bring her some water but when I walk into her room she has sobered up loads and is standing waiting for me, completely naked,
    “Sash, put some clothes on” I look away to allow her to cover up,
    “Jackson come off it, there’s no way you would come back with me if this isn’t what you wanted” She steps toward me and I step back,
    “No Sasha, I don’t want this. I ’m getting married you know that!” I turn and leave the room, part of me worries that if I stay too long I won’t be able to stop myself,
    “ Jackson, you’re not the marrying type! Think about that and when you’re ready to admit it, you know where I am” Sasha calls after me as I head back downstairs and I hear her door slam, she never was good with rejection.
    I decide to leave Sasha and head back to the wedding. I see the look of relief in Steve’s eyes when I walk back into the bar and when he hugs me, I feel that same relief myself, I did it.
    Annie takes a photo